PLANE DOWN IN SEA

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25216, 31 May 1945, Page 4

PLANE DOWN IN SEA

AUCKLANDER RESCUED PERIOD IN RUBBER DINGHY (R.N'.Z.A.F. Offiria 1 News Service) BOtJOAIXVILLE, May 29 Forced to ditch his aircraft after the motor had been hit by enemy ground fire, Squadron-Leader P. R. IVlcNab. of Auckland, leader of a New Zealand Corsair Squadron, was tossed in a rubbpr dinghy for three anr] a-half hours on a rough sea before he was picked up by a crash boat and taken to his base at Piva. Squadron-Leader McNab was leading a strike of eight Corsairs on Japanese gun positions near the Monoitu mission m south-west Bougainville when his aircraft was hit.

"Just as 1 released my bomb," he said, "my motor got smacked by machine-gun fire. I felt a jar and, as 1 pulled out of my run, oil started to come into the cockpit. 1 was south of the Australian lines and over stronglyheld Japanese territory, so I made for the coast as hard as 1 could. About half a mile from the coast ray motor seized and there was nothing left to do but to go into the 'drink.' "

Squadron-Leader McNab made a successful water landing about two and a-half miles off shore. It was not easv because his face was spattered with oil, and the sea was very rough. His aircraft sank in 20 seconds, hut he managed to get out smartly and struggle into his rubber dinghy. Other aircraft kept a constant watch over the sea. working in relays of two, until help came. An American Dumbo aircraft appeared on the scene, but the sea was too rough for a landing to be made. Later the New Zealander was taken aboard an air-sea rescue launch. He was not injured and was not in the slightest troubled by his experience. He was Hying again this morning.

SUPPLIES FOR UNRRA NEW ZEALAND'S PART (Herd. 10.35 p.m.) SYDNEY, May 30 Dr W. B. Stitch, chief requirements and supply officer for Cnrra in the South-west Pacific area, is leaving this week on a short visit to New Zealand. The New Zealand contribution to Unrra is £2.600,000, and it is hoped that it will be possible to expend 90 per cent of this amount within the Dominion. Dr Sutch will discuss with the New Zealand Government types of commodities on which Unrra desires this money to be spent. He will also discuss shipping arrangements, clothing supplies and the possibilities of obtaining from New Zealand food for European relief.

LIGHTNING HITS TREE FARMER'S NARROW ESCAPE (0.C.) WHAN GAR EI, Wednesday Working on his property at Kokopu, near Whangarei, last, a farmer, Mr Roy Kokich, aged 27, of Kokopu, had a narrow escape from serious injury when lightning struck a tree alongside him. He was tying up several dogs alongside a tall pine near the farm residence when lightning struck the tree, splitting it and felling it to the ground. Mr Kokieh was rendered unconscious, but suffered no serious injury. MOTOR-CYCLIST HURT (0.C.) OTSRORNE, Wednesday Serious head injuries were suffered by a motor-cyclist, Mr Randal Baynes, motor mechanic, when his machine collided with a car in Aberdeen Road. He was admitted to the Cook Hospital.

FROST IN HAMILTON (0.C.) HAMILTON. Wednesday A sharp frost was recorded in Hamilton today, six degrees being registered in the town and 11.9 in the outskirts. A fine, but oold. day followed.